Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BRING UP THE ELEPHANTS, by DOUGLAS MALLOCH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BRING UP THE ELEPHANTS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Just when the sky was getting light
Last Line: "and yell, ""bring up the elephunts!"
Subject(s): Elephants


Just when the sky was getting light
The Barnum show would come our way
And pitch its tents that once were white
On Mason's Forty for a day;
And all the kids were on the spot
With yawning mouths and sleepy eyes
To hang around the circus lot
And watch the canvas city rise.

They had the usual circus luck
On Third or Jefferson or Grand,
For now and then a wagon stuck
Up to the axles in the sand.
The teams would strain, and breathe a spell,
Then look around like one who hunts
For help -- and then some man would yell,
"Hi-there! Bring up the elephunts!"

And then a box-car with four legs,
Big ears, a swinging trunk between,
And feet that crushed the walks like eggs,
Would just come slowly up and lean
Head-on against the wagon's rear
And grunt and snort a little bit,
Then shove that wagon in the clear
And put it where they wanted it.

Well, that's a long, long time ago;
But now and then in daily toil
When work around the shop is slow,
Up to the axles in the soil,
I wish some man I could discern
With strength and courage for such stunts --
I wish that somewhere I could turn
And yell, "Bring up the elephunts!"





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